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Meet the 2026 Awards Judges
8th May 2026
Mindful Money is deeply thankful to our judges. Their integrity, expertise, and insights have been key to underpinning the awards across the years.
Mindful Money’s Co-CEOs, Barry Coates and Kate Vennell, consulted widely across the finance sector to find judges who met the criteria of experience and skills, avoidance of any conflict of interest in the category; and willingness to donate their time and expertise on a voluntary basis. With very few exceptions, all of those who were approached generously agreed to participate as judges.
Mindful Money is hugely grateful to the following judges. It is their integrity, insights and experience that have made these awards so robust.
Bridget Coates
Bridget is an experienced global leader with a career spanning Chairperson, Director and CEO roles across a wide range of public and private sector entities in New Zealand and the United States. She currently serves as Chairperson of Comvita NZ Ltd., Chair of Koi Tū: Centre for Informed Futures, and as a Director of Toitū Tahua: Centre for Sustainable Finance and Mindful Money. Other recent directorships were as a Director of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand and as a Guardian of the NZ Superannuation Fund.
Bridget is a Chartered Fellow of the NZ Institute of Directors, holds the CFA qualification, and was awarded an MBE in 2015 for services to New Zealand business.
Carey Church
Carey is an Ethical Investments Adviser & Financial Planner at Moneyworks, and is a RIAA Certified Ethical Advisor. In addition to being a CFP, CLU and having core financial planning and other qualifications, Carey also holds the UNPRI Certificate in Applied Responsible Investing, has a BSc and a LLB (Hons). Carey has built a unique and proprietary ethical analysis process for Moneyworks clients to understand exactly what exposure they have to the 'nasties' in their portfolio (to the cent) based on the Mindful Money research, which enables the team to have meaningful discussions about ethical investing with their clients.
Carey is the Winner of Mindful Money's 2023, 2024 and 2025 Best Ethical Adviser of the Year Award.
Chris Douglas
Chris is a Principal at MyFiduciary, one of New Zealand’s largest independent investment consultants, where he leads the fund research coverage and adviser services. Chris has over two decades of investment experience working in Auckland, London, Sydney and Chicago. He previously spent 12-years at Morningstar where he held leadership roles within the firm’s research and data group before joining MyFiduciary in 2018.
Clive Pedley
Clive has been advising, coaching and training for growth in the social purpose sector in New Zealand and Australia since 2000. During that time he has been responsible for raising tens of millions for many of New Zealand’s leading charities. He is well regarded as a thought leader, an informed, enthusiastic practitioner and practical presenter. Clive is a former President of the Fundraising Institute of New Zealand (FINZ) from 2011 to 2013, was a member of the FINZ National Council from 2009 to 2015 and was named a fellow of the Fundraising Institute of New Zealand in May 2014. In 2017 Clive was appointed to the RIAA Impact Investment Forum committee and has been directly involved in establishing New Zealand’s inaugural Impact Investment Advisory Board. This level of international engagement has led to a sound understanding of traditional philanthropy and emerging international best practice in areas such as social impact investment.
David Tikao
David is the Investment Manager Endowments at Ngāi Tahu Holdings and a former Executive Director of operations at Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu retirement savings scheme, Whai Rawa Fund Limited. He commenced working for Te Rūnanga Group in October 2011. Prior to joining Whai Rawa, David worked in the finance and banking sectors in London for 20 years, holding positions within RBS/NatWest and HSBC Banks prior to his return to Aotearoa New Zealand. Since 2012 David has been a Director of Te Poho o Tamatea Ltd, a holdings company of Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke (Rūnanga) and is a former Trustee and Treasurer of Rāpaki Marae. David is a member of the Leadership Group at Toitū Tahua: Centre for Sustainable Finance. In 2015, David graduated from Massey University with a Master of Business Administration (MBA).
David Whyte
Emma Hardie
Erica Miles
Erica is Director of West Nine Consulting, a firm focused on helping organisations use finance to deliver market-rate returns alongside measurable social and environmental outcomes. With over 30 years of experience across public and private sectors, she specialises in integrating ESG factors into investment decision-making for financial institutions and corporates in New Zealand, the UK and Europe. Erica was Programme Delivery Lead and lead author for the National Natural Infrastructure Plan for Aotearoa New Zealand, and previously co-authored the Sustainable Finance Roadmap and chaired the committee that developed New Zealand's inaugural Stewardship Code. She is also a member of RIAA's Certification Assessment Panel.
Fiona Stephenson
Fiona is Head of Communications & Marketing at the Sustainable Business Network. She is one of NZ’s most experienced communicators of sustainability, with 25 years’ experience. She was speech writer for the UK’s chief sustainability advisor for four years and Oxford University’s first PR advisor on the environment. In NZ she has worked on sustainability communications for organisations of all sizes and at different stages of their sustainability journey since 2000. She has Honours and Masters degrees from the University of Cambridge, specialising in Environment and Development.
Greg Munford
Greg Munford is a Senior Investment Strategist at the New Zealand Superannuation Fund, leading the development and application of global good practice in addressing dual dimensions of material risk, opportunity and reporting across the sustainable investment spectrum. Greg draws on over 20 years’ experience and cross-disciplinary training in physical and social sciences, partnering with multilateral, public and private sectors across the finance, real assets and environmental management fields in the UK, Canada, New Zealand and emerging markets.
Jason Garman
Jason is a storyteller. He has 35 years of experience in media and communications. After covering three Olympic Games with US broadcaster NBC Sports, he pivoted to for-purpose organisations. Jason spent a decade with Oxfam Aotearoa and another decade with Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand as the Head of Communications and Storytelling. He has interviewed refugees behind the bars of Australia’s offshore detention centre on Manus Island, mothers in Tuvalu trying to find a future for their children, and countless ordinary people making the world a better place by standing with humanity.
Jo Kelly
Jo likes building high performing teams and interesting organisations. Jo is the chief executive of Centre for Sustainable Finance which works alongside the government to develop sustainable finance policy and approaches. Her career began in creative industries, leading her initially to Madison Avenue, then to coordinate the first commitment by global businesses to Net Zero by 2050 ahead of the Paris Agreement. Since returning to New Zealand in 2016 Jo helped establish New Zealand’s first private cancer treatment and trials centre. She is an alumna of Deloitte New Zealand.
John Horrell
John is a consultant and co-founder of Makao Investments, an independent investment advisory business. He works with large investors in New Zealand and the Pacific providing advice on investment governance, asset allocation and manager selection. Before founding Makao, he worked in the UK and New Zealand in roles that included fiduciary management, asset allocation, portfolio implementation and performance reporting.
Joy Marslin
Joy has a passion for balancing profit with impact and believes all New Zealanders should have access to quality financial advice. Her career within the financial services industry has spanned 30 years including as Head of Westpac Private Wealth Management and Head of ANZ Wealth. Joy holds a number of governance and for purpose roles including Chair of New Ground Capital Ltd, Deputy Chair of NBS, Independent Director with Strategi Group, FSCL, NZ Shareholders Association and is a Director of the Impact Enterprise Fund.
Louise Aitken
Louise is a Partner leading Deloitte’s Sustainability, Climate & Nature team in our Consulting Practice. She has over 20 years’ experience leading people and organisations, global partnerships and major programmes, including government investments and delivering to the aspirations and objectives of communities, corporate and public partners. Following 12 years with Fonterra, Louise then joined the Ākina Foundation, spending 4 years as CEO, supporting government, business and communities to contribute to an economy where people and the planet thrive. During her time at Ākina, Louise was one of the founding board members of New Zealand’s first domestically focused impact investment fund, governing the $9 million fund providing growth capital to deliver market-rate financial returns, and delivering tangible societal and environmental outcomes.
Matthew Mimms
Matthew Mimms is the Founder and Managing Director of The Investment Store. Matt has over 30 years’ experience in financial services in both the UK and New Zealand. Immediately prior to establishing the Investment Store, Matt was head of Retail Sales and Service at BT Funds Management. Matt has been integrally involved in the NZ investment and financial adviser industry for 20 years including a 2-year stint as Chair of the Auckland branch for the then named Financial Planners and Insurance Advisers Association. Matt is a strong advocate for responsible investing and is currently a board member of the Responsible Investment Association of Australasia (RIAA). He contributed as a member of the Technical Working Group of the NZ Sustainable Finance Forum, an initiative of the Aotearoa Circle and more recently was a member of the development committee for the Stewardship Code Aotearoa New Zealand. He has a business degree from the University of Sheffield (UK) and a Diploma in Business Studies (personal financial planning) from Massey University.
Nikki Wright
Nikki Wright is Managing Director of Wright Communications, a senior-led, award-winning consultancy based in Auckland. A three-time PRINZ Agency of the Year winner, the firm advises organisations on reputation, sustainability and stakeholder issues. Nikki works at the intersection of communications, governance and ESG, helping organisations build trust and navigate complex challenges. A Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors, she brings a strong governance lens and is an advocate for the role of business in addressing key issues facing Aotearoa New Zealand.
Noah Schiltknecht
Noah founded Makao Investments to help lift investment advice in New Zealand and the Pacific to a better standard, and to make advice more affordable for smaller institutional clients. Before founding Makao in 2019, Noah was the head of the institutional team at Russell Investments in New Zealand, advising a broad range of large institutional clients on investment strategy, asset allocation and manager selection. In his two decades in financial services Noah also gained experience in infrastructure valuation, capital management and structuring of insurance risk transfer solutions.
Paul Richardson
Paul Richardson is the Managing Director of Carina Capital, Director of AgInvest Holdings, Director of Chartered Financial Analyst Society of NZ. He was formerly CIO and Executive Director of Mint Asset Management, CIO of BT Asset Management, and Chair of NZ Corporate Governance Forum.
Paul is the Chair of the Board of Trustees of Mindful Money's parent charity, Sustainable Initiatives Aotearoa.
Rachel Brown
Rachel Brown is the founder and CEO of the Sustainable Business Network (SBN) and has been a leading voice for sustainability in Aotearoa New Zealand for more than 20 years. A respected presenter, advisor and collaborator, she works with organisations of all sizes — from major corporates to grassroots enterprises — as well as central and local government. Rachel provides strategic guidance that helps businesses embed sustainability and accelerate their transition to a low-carbon, regenerative economy.
She is currently helping to establish two new funds: one to support nature restoration through targeted grants, and another to provide growth loans and wrap-around support for sustainability-led businesses. In 2018, Rachel was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her contribution to sustainable business.
Rachel is a Trustee of Mindful Money's parent charity, Sustainable Initiatives Aotearoa.
Safe Wongsunopporat
Safe is the Oceania Director at The Social Investment Consultancy (TSIC), a global firm assisting impact investors, charities, and foundations with impact strategy, evaluation, and DEI. He acts as a strategic learning partner, supporting purpose-driven organisations to understand and scale their impact while challenging traditional power dynamics. Safe brings extensive experience in impact investment, IMM, and the iNGO sector across the UK and Aotearoa New Zealand. Driven by a passion to scale impact through finance, he offers a unique blend of financial acumen and social impact to amplify marginalised voices, drive systemic change, and build a more equitable and inclusive society.
Sebastian Gericke
Dr Sebastian Gehricke is a Senior lecturer and Director of the Climate and Energy Finance Group (CEFGroup) at the University of Otago, running several events and pursuing research and teaching in sustainable finance and investments. Recently (in 2022), he was awarded the Otago University early-career researcher award for his accomplishments. Sebastian also has financial consulting experience, particularly in project feasibility modelling and investment management and serves on the board of a local not-for-profit. In 2021 Sebastian developed the first sustainable investments course in New Zealand and in 2023 launched the minor in Sustainable Finance. He is a strong advocate for a transition toward a sustainable finance system and actively communicates with the private and public sector to support this journey. He eagerly shares his knowledge through the media, executive training and speaking at industry and community events.
Tom Hartmann
Tom Hartmann is Personal Finance Lead at Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission, which aims to help New Zealanders retire with confidence. It’s the agency that built Sorted, a strong, trusted, independent brand to help Kiwis end up on the winning side of their money decisions. Tom’s focus as personal finance lead is dialing up New Zealanders’ long-term wellbeing by helping them get ahead financially. He contributes to the Sorted ecosystem of websites, campaigns, calculators, seminars and publishing, as well as workplace, school and community programmes. He also regularly comments in media, particularly around KiwiSaver and personal finance issues. His background in journalism and finance dovetails to support the Retirement Commissioner and the team to lift financial capability across the country.